A street for Oprah

What do you give the woman that has everything? How about her own street?

Oprah Winfrey got a whole road named in her honour by the Mayor of Chicago – the city which is the home of Harpo Studios where her chat show has been filmed for the past 25 years.

The 100 block of North Carpenter Avenue, directly in front of the studios, has been renamed Oprah Winfrey Way, it was revealed during the ceremony yesterday.

Thatâ€™s better than an Oscar or an Emmy,’ said Oprah at the unveiling ceremony.

‘It is really just a full-circle miracle story that a little coloured girl born in Kosciusko, Mississippi, on a red dirt road ends up with my name on a street in the greatest city in the world, Chicago. So, thank you,’ she told the amassed crowd.

Oprah, in her speech, went on to discuss her arrival in and love affair with the city that has been her home for the past quarter of a century.

She originally came to the city to audition for a hosting job on a show called AM Chicago.

‘I thought, even if I donâ€™t get the job, Iâ€™ll move into advertising in order to just be able to live in the city, which truly is the greatest city in the world,’ she said.

‘I just would like to say, `thank youâ€™ to the mayor and also to the city of Chicago for embracing me and allowing me to take a stand and make a stand here in this city.

‘This place is my Tara. Scarlett Oâ€™Hara should have known about Chicago.’

Mayor Daley was equally effusive about the veteran chat show host, calling her ‘a great ambassador of our city.’

‘There isnâ€™t enough time or adequate words that can describe what your 25-year journey has meant to Chicago,’ he told her.

‘Your presence in Chicago has been a gift over two decades. The Oprah Winfrey Show has drawn world-wide attention to our city and an instinctive energy from it. So, of course weâ€™re all sadâ€ that sheâ€™s leaving.’

‘It makes me very, very proud to have your name appear on one of Chicagoâ€™s city streets.’